


le gardien de chat

by paopao (lucyheartfilia)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: College AU, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Plagg is not a kwami but Adrien's pet cat, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-01-30 04:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12645690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucyheartfilia/pseuds/paopao
Summary: Marinette accepts a job as a cat sitter for her best friend’s boyfriend’s elusive best friend who turns out to be a dork that loves cat puns and she kind of falls in love with him.





	1. in where marinette gets fired

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this completely impulsively without planning at all so it's a little bit of a mess but i'm hoping to have an outline for this story soon. it may also have some errors as i didn't get the chance to proofread. i will be sure to go back later and edit any errors! future chapters will also be longer!
> 
> this is my first time writing for ML so it might be a little awkward at first as i'm trying to get a feel for the characters. i hope it's not too terrible and that you guys enjoy!

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, Alya,” Marinette groaned loudly into her hands, oblivious to the stares she was receiving from the other patrons at _Club de Café_. “I’m doomed.”

The café had become like a second home to her the last three years—she’d spent many nights here— rushing through projects right before deadlines, with Alya, her best friend, soul sister, and eternal lifesaver refilling her coffee cup whenever needed a little boost to keep going.

The young fashion student had her now much longer hair up in a messy ponytail, having grown out of her trademark pigtail hairstyle a few years back. Her tiny shoulders were equally weighed down by despair and her very heavy backpack.

Alya gave her a sympathetic look from behind the café’s counter, her hands automatically reaching for a large mug, ready to make her best friend a delicious hot chocolate in consolation of whatever was bothering her. “You can start by telling me why you’re doomed.”

Marinette peeked out between her fingers, her voice small. “Madame Bernard fired me.”

Alya nearly dropped the mug in her hand. “Marinette, what did you _do_?”

The bespectacled girl knew Marinette was beloved by many not long after meeting her, her kind personality able to charm just about anyone—she was a freaking walking ray of sunshine. Marinette was also, without a doubt, a hard worker so she could not imagine why anyone would fire her. Granted, Madame Bernard was a witch but Alya did not think she was _that_ heartless.

Marinette lowered her hands from her face, a cringe taking over her pretty features as her mind replayed the events that had landed her jobless.

Almost an hour prior, Marinette had just started her shift in the kitchen at _Le Restau Bernard_ , and not even twenty minutes in she was responsible for utter chaos.

Her only task had been to wheel in a cart of dirty plates to start washing but in typical Marinette fashion, she’d found something to slip on (in this case, an oil-slicked floor) and had knocked over the stacks of dishes.

Five minutes later she’d found herself being pushed out of the restaurant by a red-faced, fuming Madame Bernard and back onto the cold Paris streets.

Jobless.

“You broke something, didn’t you?” Alya gave her a knowing look, hazel eyes shimmering with a glint of amusement. “I’m honestly surprised you lasted as long as you did without breaking something.”

Marinette gave her a scowl, face flushing in embarrassment. “That’s not the point, Alya. The point is I’m jobless. How am I going to pay school fees? And I won’t be able to pay the rent. _I’m going to be homeless and get kicked out of school_.”

Alya gave her a blank look. “Girl, we share an apartment. I wouldn’t let you go homeless. And your parents’ bakery is like a twenty-minute walk away—you’re fine, ” She went back to fixing her friend a drink. “Besides, I’m sure we can get you another job soon enough. I’ll ask the manager for you—hey, maybe, Nino knows about a job opening or something.”

Marinette felt the corners of her lips lifting into a warm grin, the weight that had settled in her chest lifting slightly. “Alya, what would I do without you?”

The journalist major smirked as she decorated the filled mug with a healthy dollop of whipped cream. “Die, probably.”

Marinette paused before letting out a small chuckle. “Probably.”

“Now go sit your pretty butt and drink your hot chocolate before you get _me_ fired.” Alya commanded, a perfectly rehearsed smile replacing the smirk on her lips as a customer walked towards the counter.

Marinette gave her a wide grin, grabbing the hot mug and walked towards her favorite table, minding anything that might trip her along the way. Alya watched her from the corner of her eye, internally breathing a sigh of relief at her best friend making it to her favorite table without spilling any of her hot beverage, breaking the mug, or hurting herself.

When she finally finished tending to the string of customers that had stream in not long after Marinette, Alya stealthily pulled out her phone and began to type a text message to her boyfriend of two years.

 **Alya** : Marinette got fired at work today and is in desperate need of a job. Do you know if anyone’s looking to hire?

 **Nino** : She was what???? What happened??

 **Nino** : Also I do happen to know someone who’s looking to hire actually

 **Nino** : She likes cats, right???

* * *

“Bam!”

A piece of paper appeared in front of Marinette.

Marinette dropped the pencil she’d been holding, startled at the sudden yell that filled the quiet of her and Alya’s tiny, shared kitchen.

It’d been three days since the kitchen fiasco that had resulted in her unemployment and she’d spent her day off from school walking through the streets in hopes of seeing business windows adorned with _Help Wanted_ signs.

For someone who was pretty fortunate most of the time, she’d had no luck.

Disheartened and exhausted, she’d had a quick dinner and then had settled at the table to begin working on some designs, before her best friend had decided to loudly drop in.

“What is that?”

“Details about your potential next position of employment.”

Marinette’s eyes lit up and she stretched a hand out to grab the paper from the table, her blue eyes scanning Alya’s messy scrawl.

“A cat sitter?”

“A cat sitter.”

Alya pulled out a chair and smiled at Marinette, bringing a hand up to rest her chin on. “All you need to is pop in a few times a day, feed the kitty, maybe play with it a little, clean the litter box and that’s it.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“Don’t you think the pay’s a little too high for such a simple job?”

“Why are you questioning it, girl? The dude is literally willing to hire you right now and pay you that much just to play with his kitty when he’s not home.”

“Wait—who’s the one wanting to hire me?”

“Nino’s best friend.”

“Nino has a best friend?”

Alya snorted at Marinette’s indiscretion. “Yes, Nino has a best friend.”

Marinette smiled sheepishly, her voice a little guilty. “That sounded bad—I mean, it’s just, we’ve known Nino for how long now and he’s never really introduced him so—”

“I know, Mari,” Alya interrupted with a knowing smile. “This friend is always super busy travelling or whatever, according to Nino, so that's probably why we’ve never met him.”

“Is that why he needs a cat sitter then?”

“Precisely,” Alya leaned forward, tucking a stray piece of auburn hair behind her ear. “Nino says he hasn’t had much luck with finding the right person to cat sit. He put in a good word for you, though, and his friend is waiting for a yes from you right now.”

At Alya’s words, Marinette felt her eyes widen. “Right now?”

“Right now.” Alya pulled out her cellphone and slid it over to Marinette.

 **_Nino_ ** _: So is she in???_

 **_Nino_ ** _: He’s desperate and I do not want to have to cat sit Plagg for him again_

 **_Nino_ ** _: The cat hates me_

“I don’t even know who he is though.” Marinette bit her lip, looking at Alya with unsure eyes.

“I doubt you two will be crossing paths very often anyway,” Alya replied, giving her a reassuring smile. “When will you ever come across such good pay for an easy job like this?”

Marinette tapped her pencil against the table, contemplating Alya’s words.

Her best friend did make a good point; in fact, she knew it would be difficult to find a job at all.

Letting the pencil drop to the table, Marinette gave Alya a determined look. “Okay. I’m in.”

The journalist major beamed at Marinette and did not waste a second in grabbing her phone, slim fingers rapidly typing a message to her boyfriend.

 **_Alya_ ** _: She’s in! When does she start?_

 **_Nino_ ** _: Sweet! Adrien’s got to catch a flight to Milan first thing tomorrow so is tomorrow morning cool?_

 **_Alya_ ** _: She’ll be there! You’ve got all her contact info so be sure to pass it along_

Locking her phone after sending Nino her reply, Alya gave Marinette her best smile. “You’re employed again!”

A small sigh escaped Marinette’s pink lips, hands traveling to her face to rub at her tired eyes. She felt a small swell of relief that she wouldn’t have to undergo the stressful process of further job hunting. “Thank goodness.”

“You start early tomorrow morning so get your pretty butt to bed.”

Marinette had begun to drag herself towards her bedroom door, forgetting her sketchbook and supplies that were still messily strewn across the surface of their tiny kitchen table before she paused.

“Hey, Alya?”

“Hm?” The taller girl hummed distractedly, now rummaging through the fridge for leftovers to heat up for a late dinner.

“You’re the best.”

“And what would you be without me, Dupain-Cheng?”

Marinette rolled her eyes though her lips were grinning amusedly. “Dead _and_ jobless.”

* * *

_Buzz._

_Buzz._

The silence of Marinette’s bedroom was interrupted by the sound of incessant buzzing, her phone lighting up with notifications of incoming text messages.

Letting out a sleepy groan, Marinette rolled her body over and outstretched her arm to grab her phone from its place on the night table.

 **_Unknown_ ** _: Hi! I know it’s kind of late but I’d been doing some last minute packing and I didn’t get the chance to send you a message until now. I hope this doesn’t wake you up!_

 **_Unknown_ ** _: I’m Adrien—Nino’s friend_

 **_Unknown_ ** _: Thanks again for taking the job at the last minute. I’m leaving early in the morning—in a few hours actually—so I probably won’t be in when you do show up tomorrow. I emailed my address and a map to the email Nino gave me; I hope that’s okay_

 **_Unknown_ ** _: Feel free to call or text with any questions you might have :)_

Marinette smiled a little at his messages. He seemed nice much to her relief. Not that she questioned Nino’s ability to judge characters—she didn’t think he would be the type to keep company with anyone who wasn’t a good person.

She stared at the screen for a moment, before hesitantly typing out a reply.

 **_Marinette_ ** _: Thank you for the message! I should be thanking you as well—I’m grateful that you’re giving me a chance without having met me and with my little experience in cat sitting. I will be sure to contact you if anything. Have a safe flight! :)_

After rereading the message several times, Marinette pressed send and locked her phone, throwing into the mess of blankets on her bed. She turned away from her phone and closed her eyes, willing sleep to come.

She’d been close to falling back asleep when her blue eyes popped open at the feeling of her phone vibrating once more.

 **_Unknown_ ** _: Nino said you’re one of the most trustworthy and hardworking people he knows. I trust him. I’m pawsitvely sure you’ll be fine ;)_

Marinette’s eyebrows knit together, releasing a short laugh of disbelief. “Did he just make a cat pun?”

A moment later her phone buzzed again.

 **_Unknown_ ** _: Okay that was a little lame sorry_

 **_Unknown_ ** _: I’ll let you get some sleep now, good night! :3_

Marinette laughed lightly once more, settling back into her pillows.

He definitely seemed like he would be an all right employer. She just hoped he didn’t make too many of those cat puns.


	2. chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in where marinette meets plagg

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY IT HAS TAKEN ME SO LONG TO UPDATE! It's been a busy few months but I have finally found my inspiration for this story once more. Pleas excuse any errors--I tried to edit the chapter but might have missed some mistakes--I will be sure to go back and fix those as soon as possible.

“I’m telling you, bro,” Nino’s voice was tinny through the earpiece on his iPhone. “She’d be great for the job.”

Adrien stretched out on his couch, throwing a quick glance at the digital clock located on the shelf next to his television. _7:55 PM._

Prior to Nino’s call, the young model had been amidst tidying up his penthouse before resuming his packing for his short trip to Milan; his father had booked him another fashion show and it was another one of his many obligations as the son of world-renown fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste.

His best friend’s phone call had been a welcomed distraction; Adrien had never been a fan of packing his belongings.

Nathalie, his father’s assistant and by extension his kind of assistant, had offered to arrange someone to pack his belongings for him but Adrien had declined. He’d always been uncomfortable having people do things he was capable of doing himself.

What Adrien hadn’t expected, was Nino spending the last twenty minutes trying to convince him to hire his girlfriend’s best friend as Plagg’s cat sitter.

The blond let out a weary sigh, switching his phone from one ear to the next. “I don’t know, man—you know how Plagg can be.”

Adrien hadn’t had much luck finding people who lasted more than 3 days cat sitting for him; there were many a times in where Adrien received messages from his cat sitters complaining that his black cat destroyed a belonging or two, brought out the claws a couple of times.

He’d spent the last week and a half hoping to find a cat sitter but was unsuccessful.

Plagg was a good cat—he really was. He was a loyal companion and a pretty good cuddle buddy. He was just…difficult other humans that were not him. In fact, when he had first taken him in as a kitten, it had taken a while for Plagg to trust him as well.

After the last 4 cat sitters quit on him and his recent week-long search for a new sitter fell through, Adrien had resigned himself to having to ask Nathalie to keep an eye on his beloved feline, despite her open disdain for Plagg.

“Marinette is the most lovable individual on this entire Earth—she is an actual angel. Not even your demon cat will hate her.”

“I really resent you calling my cat a demon.”

“Is that all you took from that?” Nino complained into the phone, a loud shuffling sound coming from his end as he presumably moved positions. “You’ve been complaining to me about not being able to find someone to cat sit Plagg for the past week and now that I’ve found someone who would be willing to take the job, you’re hesitant?”

“I just really don’t want to be sued if he decides he’d like to use her eyes as a scratching post,” Adrien joked lightly, running a hand through his blond waves. “Besides, I’ve asked Nathalie to drop by and—”

“C’mon, man,” Nino pleaded, his voice hopeful. “I promise it’ll work out with Marinette. Give it a shot.”

Adrien’s eyebrows flew into his hairline. “Why are you so desperately trying to convince me to hire this girl, Nino?”

Nino sighed in defeat. “Mari’s having trouble finding a job and Alya asked me for help in the search. She’s a good friend and I’d like to help her if I can—”

Biting his lip, Adrien couldn’t help the upward pull of his lips at his friend’s kindness. Nino was always a good friend, willing to bend over backwards to help him out anyway he can. It was the least Adrien could do; besides—if all went well, he’d have a new cat sitter and would avoid Nathalie’s attempts to get Adrien to put Plagg up for adoption.

“So you said her name’s Marinette?” Adrien cut Nino off gently, his voice curious.

At Adrien’s sudden question, Nino paused for a moment. He bit back a snort of amusement when he heard Nino whisper a victorious _‘Yes!’_

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Nino confirmed, a smile in his voice. “She’s a second-year fashion student, her parents own a bakery, and she makes some mean macaroons.”

“And she’s trustworthy?”

“I’d trust her with my life.” Nino said very seriously. Adrien could almost picture him nodding, a hand on his heart.

Adrien laughed lightly. “How can I get in contact with her?”

* * *

“ _Woah_.”

Marinette sucked in a breath, her blue eyes wide as she stared up at the large, beautiful building in front of her. The architecture of the building was Baroque, with its elaborate and expressive structure it seemed like a much smaller and less grand but still beautiful near replica of the palace in Versailles.

She lifted her phone to her face, squinted at the address displayed, and looked back up at the building. The map had definitely taken her to the correct location.

She couldn’t imagine how rich her employer must have been to be able to afford to live there.

Marinette had to admit: the location was perfect—it wasn’t too far from her apartment building and it was only a 10 minute walk from the _université_ , which made quick stops to check on the cat easy for her on the days she would have class.

Readjusting the bag on her shoulder, Marinette took a hesitant step towards the revolving doors of the building. Swallowing her slight nerves at the uncertainty of what her first day would entail, she pushed her way inside, paying mind to not getting her coat stuck in the revolving door.

Upon her entrance, she was immediately met with sparkly marble floors, a high ceiling, and chandeliers. Not far from the door was a desk that was occupied by a stern looking and well-dressed middle-aged woman.

So this was Madame Jude.

In his detailed email, Adrien had instructed Marinette to pick up a copy of the key that would allow her access to his home from a Madame Jude at the front desk.

“Excuse me, Madame,” Marinette whispered loudly, internally cringing at how her voice still echoed in the empty lobby. “I’m here too—”

“ _Oui, oui_ ,” The woman cut her off in a bored tone, lifting her hand to wave Marinette off. The black-haired girl pressed her lips together, blue eyes widening, surprised at the interruption.

Madame Jude stood from her stool and looked at Marinette as if she were evaluating her, one perfectly groomed eyebrow lifting. “You’re Monsieur Adrien’s new employee, no?”

“I am,” Marinette confirmed, giving the woman a polite smile. “He informed me that I would be able to get the key to his apartment from you.”

“Indeed,” Madame Jude squinted her pale blue eyes at her before pulling an envelope from behind her desk. She slid the small envelope across the marble countertop and turned her head towards an isolated elevator. “You’ll be taking that elevator over there. You’ll need the key to access it.”

Marinette’s mouth dropped open for a moment. _He lives in the penthouse, doesn’t he?_

At Madame Jude’s raised eyebrow and expectant expression, she recovered, reaching awkwardly for the small envelope. “Thank you for helping me, Madame Jude.”

The woman simply sniffed, giving her a slight nod of acknowledgement. Somehow, Marinette could tell she was being dismissed. With one more polite smile at the woman, she made her way toward the elevator.

As Marinette approached the sleek elevator, she dug into the envelope and retrieved a silver, paracentric key. The young woman bit her lip and furrowed her brows slightly as she placed the key in the opening located where one would typically find an elevator button.

“Oh!” She squeaked quietly when the elevator released a ding at the turn of the key. When the silver doors opened, she stepped in and a moment later the doors closed behind her. There were only three buttons to choose from: G (she assumed for garage), a 1 for the first floor, and one with a star next to it which she assumed led to the penthouse.

She pressed a manicured finger on the starred button and her stomach lurched at the elevator’s movement.

As she waited for the elevator to reach its destination, Marinette lifted her right wrist to glance at the rose gold watch her parents had gifted her two years ago and was relieved to see it was still early. It was only 7:35 AM; in his email, her new employer had requested her early arrival.

_I hope you don’t mind, but I’ll need you to drop by early every morning—before 8 AM, if possible. Plagg is very particular about being fed early in the morning._

The elevator let out another ding as it arrived at its destination. The doors opened slowly and Marinette let out a tiny gasp at the sight before her.

It hadn’t been exactly what she was expecting, although it definitely was as grand as she had imagined.

As she stepped out of the elevator, she allowed her blue orbs to survey the space in front of her.

Everything was so _white_.

White walls.

White furniture. 

White carpet.

White marble tabletops.

The walls were bare aside from a framed abstract painting near the entrance, the piece of art one of the few pops of color in the living space.

The air in the home was chilly, smelled distinctly of disinfectant, and lacked the feeling of homeliness. It seemed more like a hospital than a home to Marinette.

Afraid to dirty the pristine carpet, Marinette bent forward to unzip her knee length boots and stepped out of her shoes, leaving them at the elevator’s entrance. Her feet sunk into the soft carpet and she couldn’t help but wiggle her sock-clad toes, pleased at the feeling of carpet against her feet.

Once her shoes were off and her things were set on an empty table by the entrance, she continued her exploration of her employer’s home.

In front of the sofa was an obscenely large television mounted onto the wall; next to it was a large bookcase that shelved everything from Marvel comics to Japanese manga. She let an excited grin pull at her lips at the sight of several video games—many of which were some of her favorites, including _Ultimate Mecha Strike III_.

Her pink lips puckered in surprise when she caught sight of a _very_ shiny, _very_ new, and _definitely not yet released_ _to the public_ Game Station 8 Console perched on a stand underneath the television.

She reached a hand out to touch it but immediately retracted it, afraid to break it and get herself fired before even starting.

_Besides_ , she thought to herself, _I’m not here to play video games. I’m here to entertain a kitty_.

She cast one final, longing look at the console before turning away to search for the feline. Adrien had attached an image to his emailed instructions.

Plagg was a chubby black cat with striking green eyes and the meanest face she’d ever seen on a cat. Somehow, she still found him adorable and would not believe Nino’s slander until she met the cat herself.

“Here kitty…kitty, kitty,” Marinette called out, turning to look around the living room once more before moving on.

 Definitely no cat in the room.

She was about to walk toward a dark hallway that housed several doors and away from the living room when she heard a loud yowl from somewhere on her right.

Following the sound, she found herself at the entrance of a very large and well-equipped kitchen. Everything seeming _too_ in place and in order, giving off the impression that it was rarely ever used.

Sitting expectantly on the shiny countertop, was a grumpy looking chubby kitty, glaring at her for keeping him waiting.

Marinette immediately grinned in amusement, the animal lover inside her already falling in love with the feline in front of her.

“You’re a cute one, Monsieur Plagg.” Marinette giggled, approaching the cat slowly. She extended a hand, allowing the cat the sniff her. Plagg only sniffed her for a moment before turning away, seemingly unimpressed, and let out another yowl.

Marinette let out another laugh. “Okay, you impatient kitty cat.”

The black haired woman looked around for a moment before a lime-green Post It in the shape a paw located on the door of a bottom cabinet caught her attention.

She pulled the note off of the door and neatly scrawled on the Post It was a short message:

_Marinette,_

_This is where I keep Plagg’s food and snacks. He prefers wet food in the morning and then I transition to one cup of dry food in the afternoon. Don’t let him bully you into feeding him extra (which he’ll try to do)._

_I hope Plagg doesn’t give you too much trouble._

_Remember, you’ve_ cat _to show him who’s boss. ;p_

_Best,_

_Adrien_

His name was followed by a neatly drawn cat face, smiling up at her from its spot on the Post It.

Marinette bit her lip, fighting a grin of amusement at her employer’s admittedly endearing cat pun. She thinks that maybe she could like working for him.

Even if his puns were a little corny.

She was interrupted from her thoughts by another loud yowl. Letting out a little laugh, Marinette folded the note up into a tiny square and safely tucked it into the back pocket of her jeans, unable to bring herself to toss it in the bin.

“Okay, Monsieur Plagg,” she looked him with a big smile on her face, hands already reaching for one of the many cans of wet cat food. “Time for some breakfast.”

* * *

Adrien landed in Milan in the early morning hours and was immediately carted off to a nearby hotel to get some rest before a busy day.

He’d been deeply asleep on the chaise, not even bothering to tuck himself into bed, knowing that getting up would only be all the more harder for him, when he was suddenly awoken by the sound of his phone chiming from the table across from him.

The young model had half a mind to ignore it, but had wisely decided against it in case it was one of his father’s employees notifying him of any changes to his schedule.

Lazily rolling to face the table, Adrien stretched his arm to grab his lit up cell phone, not bothering to lift himself from the chaise.

The sleepiness that fogged his brain cleared away a little as he unlocked his phone, thumbing 1-4-8-5 on the on-screen keypad.

Scrolling down the banner to look at his notifications, Adrien was pleasantly surprised to find a text message from his new employee.

**_Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ ** _: (1 IMAGE ATTACHMENT)_

**_Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ ** _: I think I’ve found a new best friend._

Furrowing his eyebrows, Adrien immediately tapped the notification. His screen loaded the message thread.

His green eyes widened and a surprised laugh bellowed out of Adrien as he tapped the image sent from Marinette to enlarge it.

The pictures showed what he presumed were Marinette’s legs crossed tailor style. He could see a bit of his white underneath her. What really had taken him for a shock was that on her lap lay one satisfied looking Plagg, paws up, as Marinette rested a hand on his belly.

Adrien immediately sat up, his fingers typing out his response to the cat sitter.

**_Adrien:_** _You let him bully you into feeding him extras, didn’t you?!_  

He watched the three-dotted gray bubble appear on the screen a moment later.

**_Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ ** _: Of course not!_

**_Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ ** _: We’ve simply bonded over our love of cuddles._

“Cuddles?” Adrien snorted in disbelief, eyes flying into his hairline. Admittedly, he believed that she was lucky Plagg even allowed her near him without trying to claw at her.

Perhaps Nino had been right and this girl was enough of a cinnamon roll to melt the coldest of feline hearts.

Looking at the time displayed at the top bar of his iPhone, he found himself reluctantly standing from the chaise. He knew it wouldn’t be long before someone came knocking at his door and rushing him to the venue for the fashion show to begin preparations.

As he walked toward the in suite bathroom, the blond typed out his reply to his new employee with a small smile on his face.

**_Adrien_ ** _: I’m relieved to know you’re getting along._

**_Adrien_ ** _: Plagg can… have trouble bonding with strangers._

His phone binged once more a moment later.

**_Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ ** _: You don’t have to worry too much. I’m sure Plagg will continue to be a good boy for the next three days._

Adrien’s smile grew slightly _._

**_Adrien_ ** _: I appreciate you looking after him. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need anything. Feel free to make yourself at home!_

With that, Adrien put his phone down on the bathroom counter and removed his shirt, readying for a quick shower.

He thinks he might have finally found a little luck with Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

A few minutes later, Adrien’s iPhone lit up once more with an incoming text message.

**_Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ ** _: Thank you again. I hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip! :)_

* * *

 

Today was Marinette’s last day looking after Plagg (at least until she would be needed again), as Adrien would be returning from Milan that very evening.

The past two days, she had spent long hours keeping Plagg company, as she had not had classes, and she had admittedly grown very fond of the feline.

Her employer had not exaggerated; the cat definitely made it known when he was unhappy with the portions he was fed but Marinette would not quite call him a menace.

Many of the hours in the spent house were spent with Plagg sleeping somewhere near her as she work on one of her fashion projects or snuck a bit of TV in, in between breaks.

That particular day, she had passed the morning in the penthouse, making sure that Plagg was well fed. She’d had to pick up after a slight mess the cat had left behind overnight (she would be careful _not_ to leave the restroom door open anymore to avoid the wasting of toilet paper) and then cleaned his litter box before sitting down to eat her own breakfast.

After breakfast she had rushed out to make it to her mid-morning classes before returning in the late afternoon.

Marinette currently found herself curled up on the rug, Plagg snuggled at her side. In her hands was one of the four _Game Station 8_ controllers, blue eyes fixated on the television in front of her with complete concentration.

“Come on, come _on,_ ” she hissed at the television, her teeth gritting as her character nearly died on screen.

Upon arriving home after her very first day watching Plagg, Marinette had walked into her apartment to find Nino and Alya lounging in the living room, both of whom immediately interrogated her on her first day.

Nino had looked smug when Marinette said that she did not have too tough a time with Plagg.

Marinette also may or may not have gushed to Nino about the Game Station 8 console and his extensive collection of video games. 

As she got ready for bed that evening, Marinette had been very pleased (though slightly embarrassed) to receive a text message from Adrien telling her she was more than welcome to use the console. (Damn Nino and his big mouth.)

Although she’d been hesitant to touch it, Marinette had given in and spent as much time as she could playing _Ultimate Mecha Strike III._

“Yes!” Marinette nearly dropped the remote when the words _Level Complete_ appeared on the screen.

An uncharacteristically smug smirk crossed her face when her name flashed on screen, dethroning Adrien’s character from the number one spot.

Plagg jumped awake, startled by her excited yell. He stood from his spot beside her, seeming to glower at her for interrupting his catnap.

Marinette let out a tinkling laugh, extending a hand towards the cat in peace. “I’m sorry, Plagg. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

The cat only blinked at her before making his way towards the kitchen. Not a moment later, a loud yowl came from the kitchen.

Marinette guessed he did deserve a tiny afternoon snack after being so rudely awoken.

* * *

 

Marinette had been sitting in class when her phone, which was placed face down on her desk, buzzed loudly.

She jumped slightly in her seat, her eyes quickly scanning to see if it had disturbed anyone around her.

Relieved that no one seemed to have heard the loud buzzing and that the professor was very much distracted at the front of the classroom, she turned her phone around and unlocked it.

**_Adrien_ ** _: I don’t know whether to congratulate you or be offended at the fact that you’ve beat my very high score at Ultimate Mecha Strike III_

Marinette was slightly surprised to find the text message from her boss, yet could not help but be amused. She pressed her lips together, doing her best to fight off the smile threatening to break out on her face. She discreetly (or well, as discreet as Marinette could be) typed out a quick reply:

**_Marinette_ ** _: I didn’t think you were much of a sore loser, Mr. Boss_

It was another three minutes before her phone buzzed again with a reply.

**_Adrien_ ** _: Sore loser??? I take offense to that_

**_Adrien_ ** _: I’ll just have to beat your current score_

**_Marinette_ ** _: I don’t know. 500,456,760 is a pretty tough score to beat_

**_Adrien_ ** _: Challenge accepted_

**_Adrien_ ** _: Also thanks again for looking after Plagg. And tidying up after him—you didn’t have to do that_

Marinette’s bottom slipped from her teeth, the student finally allowing the soft smile to spread across her face.

“Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng,” Her professor’s voice was severe and shattered her bubble momentarily. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”

“Of course not, Professor Enjolras.” Marinette felt her cheeks flush as she felt her classmates’ eyes stare at her. She gave her professor a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry.”

She waited until her professor was turned around before she dared sending a reply.

**_Marinette_ ** _: It was no paw-blem, the pleasure was all mine. ;p_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the update. :)

**Author's Note:**

> i'd appreciate you hearing what you guys think! please leave your thoughts! also, i would love it if you came and said hi on [tumblr](http://rvkiakuchiki.tumblr.com/ask)! :D


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